Shirley Walker Rock Cottage Eagle Tor DE4 2LY 3/4/12

To whom it may concern,

There has always been a garden area to the rear of our property. I have gardened it since we moved in on December 23rd 1998.

My children; all three of them, have played on it throughout the years and always enjoyed setting out their toys on it and sitting reading books on the rocks. The children loved the nature of the garden- their first words were “It is Narnia!” (their fantasy world) where they dressed up in my old fur coats- using rocks, bushes and trees as a back stage for their games.

I have used it in lots of ways. I have mowed the tiered lawns since 1998 and used the rear most area to put my grass clippings, hedge trimmings and compost waste, because it was less on show than the rest of the garden.

There has always been a washing line there and I used to chat to our elderly neighbours, Brenda and Gerald Marsden, when I hung out the washing.

I have planted many types of plants to the rear of the house. A lilac and apple tree still remain in the garden today, plus lots of plants from my Mother in laws garden and our previous houses in Worthing. The later plants were brought up to Rock Cottage by our neighbours Karen and Pedro Free who came to stay with us after the sale of our house in Worthing in 2003. These very old friends kindly brought up some of our treasured plants we had purchased from Parham House Gardens and helped us plant them into the front and rear garden of Rock Cottage. Although the wild rabbits and deer have eaten many of the plants in question!

The site was a favourite area for my chickens. The chickens were our pets and I enjoyed many happy years sitting writing my summer reports whilst watching the chickens have soil baths, sunning themselves and laying eggs.

My youngest daughter Katy and I used to pick fruits at the rear of the garden and enjoyed crumbles from the pickings.

Since buying the land from leasehold to freehold in June 2009 I have gardened it with more fruit and vegetables; planting leeks, carrots, onions, potatoes, courgettes, herbs, raspberries, gooseberries and rhubarb. However once again rabbits have enjoyed most of it; but the rhubarb and raspberry bush remain and I hope to get a good harvest this year?

I am not a good gardener. A full time teaching job, three children and stacks of chickens and wild life does not lend ones garden to a “Chatsworth Landscape”.

There was always a rear garden to Rock Cottage dating back to before the 1960’s and it has been a place for me to relax, retreat and reflect on the world and I have spent hours sitting here taking in and enjoying the wild life and sunsets since 1998.

Yours Sincerely Shirley Walker Son James painted picture of back garden here in 6th form at Lady Manners Sch.

Also planted many plants from Worthing and West Yorkshire (Mother in law's) here.

I sat here to write reports and watch chickens mud bath and sun themselves. Collected eggs and berries for pies here.

Rocks chin played on dressed up and read on compost/hedge waste here cultivated area here. Raspberry/rhubarb still here.

My washing line.

Mowed lawns here, hung out washing - chin played throughout area!